Favorite Westerns, No. 44

 


Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1.

Mary Gordon: If she'd had her sons around her she wouldn't have had to confide in strangers. She told me what fine men you were, never forgetting her, sending her money, helping her send Bud through school. She was so proud. Her tall sons for whom she kept making up lies so she could hide her shame. Blamed Texas for taking her sons. Texas is a woman, she used to say, a big, wild, beautiful woman. You raise a kid to where he's got some size, and there's Texas whispering in his ear and smiling, saying, "Come and have some fun." "It's hard enough to raise children," she'd say. "But when you've got to fight Texas, a mother hasn't a chance." That's why she pushed Bud. She let Texas beat her with the rest of you. She was going to see Bud through college or die. Well, she died.

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson, Jr., Earl Holliman, and George Kennedy
Director: Henry Hathaway
About: The second straight film starring Wayne. This time he's paired with Martin in a film that feels like something of a classic western set up. The four sons of Katie Elder gather for her funeral and discover someone is trying to steal their land. So, they put up a fight. This film has a good story and some good performances. I also enjoy the action sequences here. Wayne played well off other co-stars, and he's quite good here opposite Martin. I enjoyed the arc of the story and was able to get into rooting for the Elder boys to achieve their aims. This is a fun film which is in part why it made my list.

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